PMID- 30682152
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20191022
LR  - 20200309
IS  - 1932-6203 (Electronic)
IS  - 1932-6203 (Linking)
VI  - 14
IP  - 1
DP  - 2019
TI  - Beliefs, attitudes and funding of assisted reproductive technology: Public 
      perception of over 6,000 respondents from 6 European countries.
PG  - e0211150
LID - 10.1371/journal.pone.0211150 [doi]
LID - e0211150
AB  - BACKGROUND: Fertility rates in Europe are among the lowest in the world, which 
      may be attributed to both biological and lifestyle factors. Cost and 
      reimbursement of fertility treatments vary across Europe, although its citizens 
      enjoy wide access to fertility care. Since few regional studies evaluating public 
      support for fertility treatment exist, we conducted the Listening IVF and 
      Fertility in Europe (LIFE) survey to ascertain public perception of in vitro 
      fertilization (IVF) and gamete donation as a treatment for infertility among 
      European men and women. METHODS AND FINDINGS: This survey was distributed via an 
      online questionnaire to 8,682 individuals who were voluntary participants in an 
      online research panel residing in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, or the 
      UK. The survey covered items to determine respondents' beliefs regarding IVF and 
      its success, the need for public funding, the use of IVF among modern families 
      with different lifestyles, and the support for gamete donation. Results were 
      analyzed by age, country of origin, sex, and sexual orientation. A total of 6,110 
      (70% of total) men and women responded. Among all respondents, 10% had undergone 
      IVF treatment and 48% had considered or would consider IVF in case of 
      infertility. Respondents estimated IVF mean success rate to be 47% and over half 
      of respondents believed that availability of IVF would encourage people to delay 
      conception. Although 93% of respondents believed that IVF treatment should be 
      publicly funded to some extent, a majority believed that secondary infertility or 
      use of fertility treatments allowing to delay parenthood should be financed 
      privately. Survey respondents believed that the mean number of stimulated IVF 
      cycles funded publicly should be limited 2 to 3 (average 2.4). 79% of respondents 
      were willing to pay for IVF if needed with a mean amount of 5,400 euro for a child 
      brought to life through IVF. According to respondents, mean minimum and maximum 
      ages for IVF should be 29 and 42 years old, respectively. The current survey 
      showed support for egg and sperm donation (78%), for IVF in single women (61%) 
      and for same-sex female couples (64%). When analyzing the results per group 
      (i.e., sex, age, sexual orientation, and countries), youngest age groups, 
      homosexuals, bisexuals, German respondents, and men had similar overall positive 
      attitudes and beliefs toward IVF and opinions on public funding. Perceived limits 
      to availability were stronger in women. CONCLUSION: Overall, the survey results 
      demonstrate a positive attitude among respondents in an online panel toward IVF, 
      gamete donation, and support for public funding for fertility treatment. These 
      findings could potentially drive discussions between patients and prescribers to 
      explore IVF treatment and among legislators and payers to support public funding 
      for these procedures.
FAU - Fauser, Bart C J M
AU  - Fauser BCJM
AD  - University of Utrecht and University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The 
      Netherlands.
FAU - Boivin, Jacky
AU  - Boivin J
AD  - Cardiff Fertility Studies Research Group School of Psychology, College of 
      Biomedical and Life Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom.
FAU - Barri, Pedro N
AU  - Barri PN
AD  - Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproduction, Hospital Universitari 
      Dexeus, Barcelona, Spain.
FAU - Tarlatzis, Basil C
AU  - Tarlatzis BC
AD  - School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
FAU - Schmidt, Lone
AU  - Schmidt L
AD  - Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
FAU - Levy-Toledano, Rachel
AU  - Levy-Toledano R
AD  - Theramex HQ UK Limited, London, United Kingdom.
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
PT  - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
DEP - 20190125
PL  - United States
TA  - PLoS One
JT  - PloS one
JID - 101285081
SB  - IM
MH  - Adolescent
MH  - Adult
MH  - Age Factors
MH  - *Attitude
MH  - *Culture
MH  - Europe
MH  - Female
MH  - Humans
MH  - Male
MH  - *Reproductive Techniques, Assisted
MH  - Sex Factors
PMC - PMC6347360
COIS- We have the following interests. This study was sponsored and funded by Teva 
      Pharmaceuticals Europe, Women's Health Division (now Theramex HQ UK Limited). The 
      study was designed by academic investigators and by representatives of the 
      sponsor, Teva Pharmaceuticals Europe. Statistical analysis was completed by Renee 
      Wurth, PhD. Bart CJM Fauser: Over the last 5 years has received fees or grant 
      support from the following organizations: Actavis/Watson/Uteron, Controversies in 
      Obstetrics & Gynecology (COGI), Dutch Heart Foundation, Dutch Medical Research 
      Council (ZonMW), Euroscreen/Ogeda, Ferring, London Womens Clinic (LWC), Merck 
      Serono (GFI grant), Myovant, Netherland Genomic Initiative (NGI), OvaScience, 
      Pantharei Bioscience, PregLem/Gedeon Richter/Finox, Reproductive Biomedicine 
      Online (RBMO), Roche, Teva/Theramex, and World Health Organization (WHO). Jacky 
      Boivin: Over the last 5 years has received (or her University has received for 
      her projects) fees or grant support from the following organizations: Merck 
      Norway (Merck AB NUF), Ferring International Center S.A., Merck/Schering-Plough 
      Pharmaceuticals, Merck KGaA, Actavis Generics, IBSA Institut Biochimique, World 
      Health Organization, Daiwai Foundation, European Society for Human Reproduction & 
      Embryology. Pedro Barri: Nothing to disclose. Basil Tarlatzis: Over the last 5 
      years has received grants/research support from Merck Sharp & Dohme, Merck 
      Serono, Angelini; has received honoraria or consultation fees from Merck Sharp & 
      Dohme, Merck Serono, IBSA, Ferring; has participated in companysponsored 
      speaker's bureaus for Merck Sharp & Dohme, Merck Serono, IBSA; has received 
      travel grants from Ferring and IBSA. Lone Schmidt: Over the last 5 years has 
      received funding from the Danish Health Foundation; the Danish Research Council; 
      The Faculty of Health Sciences, Copenhagen; Teva/Theramex. Rachel Levy-Toledano: 
      Was a consultant for Teva Europe Medical Affairs during the conduct of the survey 
      and was a consultant for Theramex HQ UK Limited, London at the time the 
      manuscript was written. There are no patents, products in development or marketed 
      products to declare. This does not alter our adherence to all the PLOS ONE 
      policies on sharing data and materials, as detailed online in the guide for 
      authors.
EDAT- 2019/01/27 06:00
MHDA- 2019/10/23 06:00
PMCR- 2019/01/25
CRDT- 2019/01/26 06:00
PHST- 2018/08/30 00:00 [received]
PHST- 2019/01/08 00:00 [accepted]
PHST- 2019/01/26 06:00 [entrez]
PHST- 2019/01/27 06:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2019/10/23 06:00 [medline]
PHST- 2019/01/25 00:00 [pmc-release]
AID - PONE-D-18-25249 [pii]
AID - 10.1371/journal.pone.0211150 [doi]
PST - epublish
SO  - PLoS One. 2019 Jan 25;14(1):e0211150. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0211150. 
      eCollection 2019.